Fulfilling A Little Boy's Wish
by charmony
Summary: LW7 - Emily and Aaron are left reeling after a trip to the hospital and it's time to tell Jack the startling results of the wish he made at Christmas.


**A/N: Sorry for the delay in getting this one out; turns out I don't know as much medically as I would like to think I do (all I'm going to say is that my beta ROCKS!). So, following on from the last piece, they have arrived back in DC and are about to confirm without a doubt whether our lovely couple are expecting. So exciting!**

**Okay, I know the last piece wasn't quite as light and fluffy as normal, so thanks so much for still being on board with this series. I loved the words of liking and encouragement I received from HGRHfan35 (thanks for that lovely last line; it totally warmed me as I fell into bed), sarahb2007 (so tempting, but I think you'll like what I intend to do instead), Wtiger5 (totally loving having you on board for this at the start), greengirl82 (thank you muchly), Hazmatt (thank you, next one coming to you now), Danzjaron (don't panic, there is definitely more where the last one came from), HPforever-after (thank you muchly) and x-MJ-x (read on to know if ALL of them are finally enlightened to the truth).**

**My beta is a treasure untold and a precious friend. Wtiger5, I totally could NOT have done this chapter without you. You keep my writing honest and completely on point and I love you heaps for it darling...your help is more greatly appreciated than you realise.**

**I fully credit the scenes at the hospital with the genius knowledge that Wtiger5 has shared with me; without her, what I wrote would have been good but not truthful and not half as good as it is (if I do say so myself).**

**This is Life's Wishes 7 and has some adult themes in it.**

Fulfilling a Little Boy's Wish

"Hello?"

"Kara, it's Aaron Hotchner. How are you?"

"Fine thank you sir. How did your case go?"

"As well as they normally do. I know you've been informed of when we're landing. I'm just calling to let you know we'll be home later than you would expect as we need to make a stop of untold length on the way. Is Jack still up?"

"Oh yes. He overheard my conversation with the informing agent and I've been unable to get him to calm down since." She suddenly sighed heavily. "And if you're running late getting back..."

"Which is why I asked if he was still up. If you could put him on the phone, I'll explain to him why we'll be late and get him to cooperate with you on going to bed."

"Oh, that would be great, thanks. Just give me a sec."

Aaron looked across at Emily and smiled warmly. She was almost asleep as they sat in the waiting room at the hospital waiting for the doctor.

_It's crazy how I fall more in love with her all the time...but she's so worth it._

He shifted his phone away from his ear, took a quick picture and then returned the phone to his ear just in time to realise his son's sitter had returned.

"Okay, here he is sir."

"Daddy?"

He grinned at Jack's excitement and listened as his son explained what he'd been up to since their last conversation the day before. A few minutes later, he stopped speaking long enough for his father to get a work in edgewise.

"Jack?"

"Yes daddy?"

"Emily and I won't be getting back in time tonight to see you before you go to bed."

He could hear the disappointment clearly in his son's voice as he let out a small, "Oh. Why not daddy?"

"Emily needs to see a doctor tonight before we come home so we are at the hospital."

"Is Emily alright?" he asked anxiously, all unhappiness put aside.

_I love the soft sweetness in my son...I hope he never loses his consideration for others._

"Emily Hotchner?"

He turned his head to view a nurse standing near the entrance to the ER as he reached with his free hand to gently nudge Emily awake and quickly replied to his son, "She's fine buddy. She just needed to see her doctor earlier in the week but missed the appointment because we were away on a case. But we'll be home this evening and we have tomorrow off, so you get us for a special three days straight."

"Yay! Okay daddy. Kara says it's bedtime. Can I say goodnight to Emily?"

"Absolutely. I'll see you in the morning son. I love you."

"Love you too daddy. Goodnight."

He passed the phone over to the woman waiting at his side and they walked together towards the nurse waiting for them as she exchanged her own 'goodnights' and 'I love you's' with Jack.

They followed the man through the doors and into a cubicle as Emily handed the phone back and moved to sit on the bed.

"So, what seems to be the problem tonight?"

_This is absolutely NOT a problem. Looks like I might hurt myself if I go for him though. Hmm, let's see if he can redeem himself._

"I think I'm sixteen weeks pregnant."

"You _think_ you're _that_ pregnant? But you don't know for sure?" The man shot her an incredulous look.

She smiled wryly. "I've taken four of the home pregnancy tests and all of them have come up negative and I haven't been able to get to my GP to confirm with a blood test. But everything's getting bigger and we felt _something_ just a few days ago, however nothing since."

The nurse shook his head in disbelief and handed Emily a small cup. "Well let's start at the beginning. I know you've taken some home pregnancy tests but sometimes they aren't completely accurate. The bathroom is across the hall; just leave the cup in the window. When you're done, come back here and change into this gown. The doctor is going to want to do a pelvic exam and I'll probably be drawing some blood."

Aaron frowned slightly. "Don't we need to see an OB doctor?"

"Not yet; we only consult them once we know what's going on. Anything under twenty weeks stays here in the ER." He ducked out of the room, leaving the couple alone. Emily caught Aaron's eye and shrugged before slipping into the bathroom. She returned a few minutes later and changed into the gown, arranging the blanket over her knees. The nurse reappeared soon after with a collection of blood tubes in his hand. He quickly and efficiently drew Emily's blood before smiling at the couple. "The urine test was negative, but I relayed your concerns to one of our docs and he wants me to send off some blood just in case it turns out to be a false negative. He's going to be in to do a pelvic exam and then we'll have to wait for some results."

"How long will that take and then what happens?" asked Aaron, anxious to be home with Jack even though his son would be sleeping.

_Me getting sleep also feels like a good idea right now._

"Blood work takes about an hour. If the hormone levels say that you're pregnant then we'll go from there."

"So in other words, we're going to be here awhile," groaned Emily. The nurse gave her a sympathetic smile.

"Unfortunately yes. I'm sorry."

True to the nurse's prediction, just over an hour later, the doctor knocked on the door. He came in and sat down on the stool with Emily's chart in his hands. "Well, the blood says conclusively that you are indeed pregnant. But there are some irregularities that have me concerned. I'm going to send you for an ultrasound tonight rather than have you simply following up with your family doctor at a later date."

They exchanged nervous glances. "What kind of irregularities?"

The doctor sighed softly. "I'd rather wait until we get the results of the ultrasound before I discuss it with you." He met Aaron's glare head on. "I'm not going to waste your time with speculations. Let me get all the information I need before we jump to any conclusions."

Aaron blew out a frustrated breath once the doctor had walked out and turned to Emily. "I hate doctors."

Emily smiled faintly. "I know. I do too." They were interrupted by a quick knock as the nurse poked his head in.

"They're ready for you in ultrasound now." He helped Emily into a wheelchair. "She'll be back in about thirty minutes, sir."

Aaron blinked. "What? I can't go with her?" His dark eyes flashed in anger. "It's my child!"

The nurse swallowed but held his ground. "I'm sorry, sir. It's hospital policy. Only the patient is allowed to go."

Seeing that Aaron was about to protest again, Emily intervened.

"It's ok, Aaron. I'll be back before you know it."

Aaron could only growl under his breath as the love of his life was wheeled away. He paced the length of the room while he waited, fighting the urge to ask the staff how much longer Emily would be gone and battling with his tired imagination as it conjured scenarios of what _irregularities_ might actually mean.

_I hate this...I really, REALLY hate this!_

After what seemed to be an eternity, she returned to the room and shot him a warm smile.

He waited until she was back on the bed before demanding, "What did it show?"

Her smile died slightly at his harsh tone and she murmured softly, "I don't know. The tech wouldn't tell me anything. She said we have to wait for the doctor."

He sighed softly. "I'm sorry Emily; I didn't mean to snarl at you. I'm just tired and worrying myself to death over what _irregularities_ might mean. Not knowing anything is driving me crazy!"

He started to pace once she'd murmured her forgiveness, muttering as he went. She watched him for several minutes before patting the bed beside her. "Come here; you're making me dizzy."

Aaron turned on his heel and stared at her for a moment before his shoulders slumped and he dropped into the chair next to the bed. "If I'm going stir crazy, what must you be feeling? And here I am being a jerk," he murmured, leaning his head against her shoulder.

Finally the doctor came in and cleared his throat. The man had an odd look on his face, causing Aaron to grip Emily's hand in panic. That panic only increased as time ticked away in a heavy silence.

_This tension is killing me...I hope he talks to us soon because I'm so close to screaming right now, it's not funny._

Finally unable to stand not knowing what was going on, Emily asked tentatively, "Is there something wrong?"

The physician jumped as if he'd been jabbed with something sharp and refused to look at them.

Exchanging a panicked look, Aaron's hand tightened on Emily's.

_Now that I need information, maybe trying to intimidate him earlier to get what I wanted wasn't the best idea in the world._

The doctor cleared his throat again, ensuring he had their complete attention.

"As near as I can see, there isn't anything wrong. There is however something you both need to know."

New Section

Emily yawned and stretched as she walked toward the front door in front of Aaron. All she wanted to do was sleep for a week, but they'd promised to spend the next three days with Jack...and there was still _that_ conversation to have with the inquisitive five year old. But that would come in the morning; for tonight she intended to sleep.

_At least, that's the plan. There's no accounting for how much celebrating Aaron's going to want to do._

But it turned out he was just as tired as she was and although there was a fair amount of kissing involved as they got ready for bed, the kissing was all they managed before they fell asleep in each other's' arms.

Morning light was just beginning to filter through the blinds on the windows when Jack's excited voice pierced the morning.

"Daddy! Emily! It's morning and you're here and you need to wake up! So WAKE UP!"

Emily buried her head under her pillow with a groan as Aaron sat bolt upright beside her and leaned over her body to snag his son and lift him clear over to his side of the bed.

_God I love children, but can I just muzzle this one, just for another hour or two?_

Sleep dragged her back under as everything went quiet again and she didn't fight it. She didn't actually realise how very tired she was until she woke to find she'd been tucked securely under the covers with her head _on_ her pillow instead of _under_ it as she last remembered it being.

Stretching slowly, she glanced at the clock and sighed.

_Jack isn't going to be very happy with my sleeping half the day away._

She got up and walked into the bathroom and stood for several long minutes just staring into the bathroom mirror at her naked form in general, and her expanding waistline in particular, before climbing in the shower.

_I don't think the wonder of what is happening inside me is going to be wearing off any time soon._

Fifteen minutes later she exited the bedroom and nearly drooled at the smells coming from the kitchen.

_Someone's making hamburgers...hmm, that means someone listens to me. I shall use this only for good...most of the time._

She entered the kitchen to find both males were busy. The large one was frying the bacon and home-made hamburger patties she could smell and the small one was putting cutlery on the table. But as they both turned to smile at her, she decided size didn't matter.

_How I love both of them...so, SO much. I wonder if words could adequately communicate my feelings._

Jack squealed his delight on seeing her and dumped all of the cutlery in a pile on the table to come and give her a hug. She crouched down and hugged him tight in her arms, loving the smell of him and the comfort of knowing that he was just happy to see her and not mad that it had taken so long to do so.

She gave him a last squish that caused him to giggle and dropped a kiss on the top of his head as she sent him back to the table and the task he'd been given. She smiled as she watched him for a moment before walking up behind Aaron and hugging him around the waist.

"Can I do anything to help?"

He lifted one of her hands and kissed the palm before returning it to its position.

"What you're doing right now is just perfect."

She smiled at that and buried her face against his spine, breathing deep of the scent that called her to think words like _home_ and _safety_.

Ten minutes later, they sat down to what really amounted to a very unhealthy lunch but which tasted like heaven to her tastebuds after the few days of less-than-average food she'd eaten while they were away. Then lunch was over and she was ordered upstairs to grab her walking shoes for a trip to the park while the guys cleaned up the kitchen.

_Great...he's going to be so protective and domineering and just plain annoying for the next months. HELLO...I'm not THAT fragile; I won't BREAK for goodness sake!_

She muttered to herself all the way up the stairs, through finding her sneakers and putting them on and all the way back down the stairs. She was still muttering a few minutes later when Aaron joined her in the hall while they waited for Jack.

She poked his arm. "I hope today was simply because I've been working hard the last few days and not a taste of what the next eight months will be like. Cause if it is, I'm going to be moving out pretty quick."

"Where would you go?" he asked in a reasonable tone of voice that had her narrowing her eyes.

"Buddy, just because I sold my condo does _not_ mean I am without resources or friends. Don't underestimate me just cause I'm carrying your progeny; I'm still lethal and I still carry a gun."

"What's pro...prog...what's that?"

_I keep forgetting children are always where you don't want or need them to be. Note to self; must remember that._

"Are you all ready to go buddy?" Aaron asked quickly, trying to distract his son from a question they didn't want to answer until they arrived at the park they were heading to.

"Yes daddy. But what's that word mean?"

_Yes daddy; explain to your son what progeny means._

"Jack, I am going to explain that word to you at the park. Is that alright?"

Jack sighed. "Okay daddy."

Aaron smiled. "I promise that I _will_ explain what it means; I just don't want to do that here. We want to go to the park now before you have a nap, don't we?"

Jack beamed a smile. "Yes! We should go now while we can. Hurry!"

"Smooth move Mr. Hotchner. Very smooth indeed."

"Thank you ma'am; I always aim to please."

With her good mood restored they stepped out of the house into the warm Spring sunshine. She watched as Aaron got Jack set up with his helmet and bike and then they were off, ambling arm in arm behind the child who was pedalling like mad in front of them and generally having a grand time.

Three blocks later they reached the park and Aaron left her strolling slowly along the paths while he jogged along with Jack who was now allowed to ride without having to stop at corners to wait for them. As she walked, she marvelled anew at the boundless energy children seemed to have, particularly when she started getting tired pretty quickly.

_This tiredness had better be a temporary thing or else somebody is in a great deal of trouble._

After half an hour she decided she'd gotten enough exercise for the day and found a large tree that appeared to be free of ants or tree sap or anything that might otherwise get her into trouble. She settled against the base of it and yawned hugely just as her men came into sight on the path.

Aaron being Aaron, he spotted her immediately and called to Jack to wait for him before jogging over.

"Are you alright Love?"

"I'm fine, just figuring out the hard way what my new limitations are. I'll wait here until you decide it's time and then we'll tell Jack."

He nodded agreement and leaned in to kiss her gently. "We won't be too much longer; Jack's already beginning to wind down. I don't think I'll get too much more out of him with this stop."

She nodded agreement and watched him jog back to his impatiently waiting son.

_Mmm mmm mmm...that is without a doubt the best view I've seen lately. Be still my heart. Where's a bed when you need one?_

She let herself drift in a haze of drowsy desire as she waited for Aaron and Jack to come back to her. She was pulled from her thoughts by the sound of a camera clicking to see Aaron with his phone aimed in her direction. She shot him a sleepy smile and heard the phone click twice more before he sat down beside his son facing her. She nudged the bag with the water bottles closer to both of them and then settled back to let Aaron lead the conversation.

"Jack, do you remember what Emily was saying to me when she said progeny?"

Jack frowned, his little nose all scrunched up and Emily held out her hand for the phone and took a few pictures of her own.

_He really is just so adorable._

"I think she said she was carrying it? But that's wrong 'cause she wasn't carrying anything. I'm confused."

"I'm sure a lot of things are confusing when you're five," Emily said in a consoling voice and held out her arms.

Jack nodded, sighed heavily and crawled over to settle in her lap for a cuddle.

"Do you remember at Christmas you were constantly talking about us making babies with kisses?"

Jack nodded enthusiastically and yawned. "I wished really hard at Christmas that God would give me a little brother or sister. But I guess He was busy 'cause He didn't hear me."

Emily frowned slightly as Aaron asked gently, "What makes you think that buddy?"

"Well, there is no little brother or sister running around after me."

_Don't laugh, don't laugh, don't laugh..._

When she opened eyes she hadn't even realised she'd closed, she saw that Aaron looked like he was going slightly purple from holding in the laughter he obviously felt. The look on his face was so comical a giggle escaped her tightly pressed lips and the next thing she knew, they were both howling with laughter.

Jack slipped off her lap and stood there watching them, a totally bewildered expression on his face and his hands in fists on his hips. And with his legs spread just slightly for balance, Emily noticed something she hadn't previously.

_He looks exactly like Aaron does when he's trying to be intimidating...minus the expression, that is. It's so entirely cute._

When they finally calmed down enough to talk, Emily wiped tears from her cheeks while Aaron indicated that Jack should come and sit with them again. He did so, though his reluctance was clear and he kept looking at them like he was concerned about their wellbeing.

Aaron cleared his throat. "Jack, you are my progeny, my child. A progeny is a child or offspring of its parents."

Jack said slowly, "Emily said she was carrying your pro..."

"Progeny."

"Yes, that word. So if that word..."

"Progeny."

Jack shot his father an annoyed look and Emily giggled, and quickly coughed to cover it when Jack looked at her suspiciously.

"So that means Emily is carrying your child. But she still didn't have anything in her hands. So where is she carrying it? In her pocket?"

Emily cleared her throat and looked away, hoping that it would be enough to stave off another fit of laughter. Particularly since her insides were still sore from the first fit.

Amusement was clear in Aaron's voice when he asked, "When a woman is pregnant, do you know what that means Jack?"

"Yes. It means there is a baby growing in the woman's tummy."

"Very good. Even though you are my progeny, you were still grown in your mummy's tummy before you were born. And when you were growing in her tummy, you were even then, still my progeny."

Emily looked back as Jack's eyes grew huge. "You mean Emily's pregnant with my little brother or sister?"

_Definitely a bright spark sitting right here._

"That's _exactly_ what I mean and at the same time that isn't it at all."

"I'm confused."

Emily shot Aaron a look designed to make him behave. He just grinned at her with a raised brow, so she turned away from him and lifted a hand to touch Jack's hair.

"What your father means is that I am pregnant, but I'm not just carrying one child, I'm carrying three. One child is a baby and three babies equal triplets. I am having triplets. So that is three little brothers or sisters for you."

"No way! Wouldn't they be heavy?"

_He really is incredibly sweet._

She smiled gently as she ran her hand through his hair soothingly. "They aren't at the moment, but as they grow, they will get to be heavy. But that's alright; I know it's needed to let them get big and strong for when they are born. But do you understand what we're saying?"

Up scrunched the nose again and Emily knew she'd need to frame one of the pictures she'd taken earlier because every time he did it she couldn't help but smile.

_And I'm going to need reasons to smile over the next few months. This isn't going to be easy._

Jack grinned suddenly, his eyes lighting up. "It means I get both my wishes granted this year. Alright!"

Emily and Aaron exchanged a confused look.

"_Both_ your wishes son?" Aaron asked slowly.

"Yup. I wished for a little brother or sister and now I'm getting three of them. Wow, I must have wished really, _really_ hard huh?"

"And your other wish?" Emily asked with a smile.

He looked at her and said with a pleased smile, "I also wished for a mummy...and I got you."

**End**

**A/N: Watch this space cause there'll be another one coming shortly.**

**Please review and let me know what you think with the conveniently placed button right below this request. **


End file.
